Together Senior Health Launches First Integrated Platform for Cognitive Health

To Improve Function, Independence and Quality of Life for People Experiencing Memory Loss

SAN FRANCISCO, April 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Together Senior Health, a digital therapeutics and cognitive health company, announces the launch of its evidence-based cognitive health platform dedicated to reducing the impact of memory loss, Alzheimer’s and dementia for older adults while relieving stress for their caregivers. The Together Senior Health platform features movement therapy programs that engage the brain and are backed by more than a decade of scientific research developed with grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Alzheimer’s Association and other donors based on research done with the University of California, San Francisco.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), memory loss, Alzheimer’s and dementia affect more than 50 million people globally, with nearly 10 million new cases every year. It’s also estimated that 12-18% of people aged 60 or older live with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)^¹.

With Together Senior Health’s new integrated platform, the company aims to deepen its impact by enabling Medicare plans to provide more supportive cognitive care to their members, building upon existing services and streamlining eligible participants’ enrollment in their comprehensive treatment plans.

The platform improves cognitive health through movement, body awareness, community, emotional well-being and a sense of purpose. One of the platform’s signature features, MOVING Together™, combines the best of clinical, evidence-based movement therapy to help people living with cognitive decline remain independent while reducing isolation. MOVING Together™ instructors support member enrollment and assign participants to cohorts that meet virtually twice weekly for one-hour sessions, encouraging movement and activities within small groups that foster connection.

A pilot clinical trial found that an in-person version of MOVING Together™ had numerous benefits including improving patients’ cognitive and physical function and quality of life while reducing caregiver burden, and was shown to be 2 to 3 times more effective than best-in-class drugs^². Subsequent studies found that the program improves physical function, cognitive function, emotional well-being, and social connection in people living with memory loss.^³ The program is also being successfully implemented in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs nursing homes.^⁴

“Together Senior Health is addressing the cognitive health of individuals living with dementia, Alzheimer’s or memory loss in a holistic way. We know that this impacts millions of individuals and families around the world, and our goal is to help them stay healthy and independent longer,” says Cynthia Benjamin, CEO at Together Senior Health. “Our integrated, human-centric platform takes an innovative approach, applying neuroscience, non-pharmaceutical therapeutics, and behavioral psychology to strengthen cognitive health.”

Built by leading researchers in Alzheimer’s and dementia, experienced UX designers, and healthcare entrepreneurs, Together Senior Health is leading a new wave of digital therapeutics that target functional activities that help those living with memory loss maintain health and independence. The platform creates a safe and engaging at-home learning environment featuring live-streaming online weekly group classes that unite participants with similar experiences and provide real-time coaching with highly-trained, passionate instructors.

“As one of the creators of the in-person program, I am excited to advance Together Senior Health’s mission to help more people access the benefits of MOVING Together™ by offering live online classes via a comprehensive digital platform,” said Deborah E. Barnes, PhD, MPH, Chief Science Advisor at Together Senior Health. “We believe that the improvements in physical and cognitive function we are observing will have longer-term benefits, such as fewer falls, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, and could also delay long-term care placement.”

Together Senior Health was built in partnership with Redesign Health, a company that powers innovation in healthcare. Together Senior Health works with Medicare Advantage health plans, home health organizations and leading research institutions including NIH and the University of California, San Francisco, to collaborate on new research and care programs.

About Together Senior Health

Together Senior Health is a digital therapeutics and cognitive health company founded by brain scientists, therapists, and changemakers to create better health outcomes for people living with memory loss, Alzheimer’s, dementia and cognitive decline. Together Senior Health’s integrated platform combines over 15 years of clinical evidence, real-world user experience and engaging, community-based programming. The company partners with Medicare Advantage health insurance plans and home health agencies to carry out its vision and impact. Together Senior Health is collaborating with leading institutions like the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to advance new field research in cognitive health. To learn more, visit togetherseniorhealth.com.

About Redesign Health

Redesign Health is a company that powers innovation in healthcare by developing technologies, tools, and insights that lower the barriers to change across the industry. Since 2018, exceptional founders have built over two dozen companies at Redesign Health, impacting more than ten million lives across many aspects of the healthcare ecosystem including cancer care, teleaudiology, COVID-19 testing, metabolic health and more. To learn more, visit redesignhealth.com.

Contact:
Bethany Dufresne
Director of Product Communications, Redesign Health
bethany.dufresne@redesignhealth.com

Lance Buckley
Senior Vice President, Media, Lippe Taylor Group
lbuckley@lippetaylor.com

Emma McCormick
Account Supervisor, Media & Engagement, twelvenote
emccormick@twelvenote.com

^¹https://www.alz.org/media/Documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures.pdf&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1647539158913220&usg=AOvVaw2Kr7hsvzNWgPDP1Ndk9LUc

^² Wu E, Barnes DE, Ackerman SL, Lee J, Chesney M, Mehling WE. Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise (PLIÉ): qualitative analysis of a clinical trial in older adults with dementia. Aging Ment Health. 2015;19(4):353-62. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2014.935290. Epub 2014 Jul 14. PMID: 25022459.

^³ Mehling WE, Scott TM, Duffy J, Whitmer RA, Chesney MA, Boscardin WJ, Barnes DE. Dyadic Group Exercises for Persons with Memory Deficits and Care Partners: Mixed-Method Findings from the Paired Preventing Loss of Independence through Exercise (PLIÉ) Randomized Trial. J Alzheimers Dis. 2020;78(4):1689-1706. doi: 10.3233/JAD-200713. PMID: 33185602.

^⁴ Akram A, Nicosia F, Lee J, Lee M, Martin L, Martinez S, Ordoñez C, Woo M, Barnes DE. Implementation of an integrative movement program for residents with dementia in a VA nursing home. BMC Geriatr. 2021 Oct 27;21(1):607. doi: 10.1186/s12877-021-02494-2. PMID: 34706658; PMCID: PMC8549425.